It refers to the ongoing discussion if Prime Minister should be covered by Lokpal Bill or not. In the present blackmail era of alliance politics, even a notorious one like Madhu Koda can become Prime Minister. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that Prime Minister must be brought under purview of Lokpal Bill, a view also favoured by present Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and his predecessor Atal Behari Vajpayee.
However there should be simultaneous working on three other bills also to reduce workload on institution of Lokpal Bill, namely bills on Electoral Reforms, Judicial Accountability and Grievance Redress. Most of scams relating to political rulers are due to bad electoral laws. Suggestions of Joint Drafting Committee member of Lokpal Bill, Prashant Bhushan on Judicial Accountability Bill can effectively check misconduct and malpractices in higher judiciary. A bill for time-bound Grievance-Redress on lines of RTI Act can do the rest.
Drafting Committee can recommend such a basket of measures to be implemented in a time-bound period say by December 2011.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
Delhi